The invention relates to a variable speed transmission for motor vehicles.
For example EP 1 532 383 B1 discloses a variable speed transmission having an input shaft, a layshaft arranged axially parallel to the input shaft and a drive shaft coaxial to the input shaft and in which between a direct gear (highest forward gear) and the other gear wheels a shifting clutch is provided which in the direct gear uncouples the remaining gear wheels, so that the latter are stationary in the corresponding drive mode. This has the advantage that during driving in the direct gear smaller friction and churning losses occur at an improved transmission efficiency. In such a coaxial arrangement of input shaft and driven shaft such a decoupling can be constructed relatively easily; the improved transmission efficiency is only achieved in the highest gear.